Railway coupling and draw-bar.



PATENTEB APR. l0, 1906.

F. W. PARSONS. RAILWAY COUPLING AND DRAW BAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.8.190`5.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED APR. 10, 1906.

F. W. PARSONS. `RAILWAY OOUPLING AND DRAW BAR.

APPLICATION FILED MAILS. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I/IT/VESSES FRANCIS W. PARSONS, OF OS'IICRVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

RAILWAY OUPLIG AND HWMBAH..

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented April 10, 1906.

Application filed March 8, 1905. Serial No. 2119,132.

To all whom, it may concern:

v head in horizonta lengthwise section.

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. PARsoNs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Osterville, in the county of Barnstable and State oi Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Railwa Couplers and Draw-Bars, of which the fol owing is a seciiication, reference being had therein to t 1e accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows in top plan view my new coupler-head and a part of its draw-bar, the coupler-head bein in place and the draw-bar Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of what is shown in Fig. 1 and is partly in cross-section at a line correponding to line 2 2 of Fig. l. Figs. 3, 4, an 5 are cross-sections at lines corresponding, respectively, -to lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5 of F1 2. These views illustrate the interlock oN the coupler-head shank with the draw-bar head, the outer end ci which is chambered to receive said coupler-head shank and to interlock therewith. Fig. 6 is a sectional view at a line corresponding to line 1 1 of Fig. 2 of the draw-bar head shown attached to the draw-bar. Fi 7 is a perspective view, partly in section. s owing the interior configuration of the draw-bar head. Fig. a is a to y lan view showing a pair of drawbars wit t cir coupler-heads interlocked and applied to cars in accordance with my invention.

The object of my invention is to produce car-coupling devices which will permit trains to run on shorter curves than heretofore possible without dan er of breaking couplers or derailing cars an in which broken couplerheads may be quickly replaced.

In the drawings, 1 is a cou ler-head, the outer part of which may be o any suitable type. In accordance with my invention I form the coupler-head with a short shank 2, which is adapted (as shown or otherwise) to be thrust into the open front end of a drawbar head, turned ninety degrees therein. and

then interlocked therewith and therein have` a wrist-like movement in a horizontal plane. In the present form of my invention shank 2 has side wings 3 3 diametrically opposite each other and in the plane of the upper and under faces of the coupler-head-i. e., they are in the horizontal position with the coupler-head when the latter is in working position. Shank 2 has a flat bearing 4- on its under surface for a urpose stated below.

rIhe draw-bar liead 5 may be of any suitable shape so long as it cooperates with the coupler-head shank on the interlocking principle of my invention, in the present form of which the draw-bar head has a short front end recess or chamber 5, on the inner end wall of which is a forwardly-extending bottom lug 7 for. the helical spring 8, which is mounted in the chamber between the inner wall and a washer 9, carried by the shank of the coupler-head vand abutting against the inner ends ol wings 3 3. ln this way the cou ler-head and dra\\'bar head are yielding y connected in respect of their endwise movements in relation to another car. rl`he mouth oiE chamber has a bottom groove 10 in the under wall 11, which overhangs the chamber proper. The height of the space between the ottom of groove 10 and the opposite wall of the chamber is slightly greater than the diametric width of the coupler-head shank from side edge to side ed e of wings 3 3, and groove 10 extends throng i wall 11 in the direction ofthe length ofthe draw-bar. Consequently the shank of the coupler-head may beinserted into the chamber, one ofthe wings 3 being slid through the groove 10. A quarter-turn will then lbring one of the wings 3 down on the horizontallengthwise shoulder 12 of the chamber and bring the other wing up against the corresponding shoulder 13, whereby the coupler-head will be brought into its working position. The flat bearing 4 of the cou lerhead will then rest on the upper sides o the wall 11 on both sides ol the groove 10, and the couplerhead shank and the draw-bar head may here have relative sliding movements when the train curves, as will be plain from Fig. 3.

The wall 11 is continued upwardly on both sides at 14 14, where it overhangs or forms the front end wall of chamber 6, forming what may be called the vertical draft-Walls of the draw-bar head. The inner surfaces of these side portions 14 14 of wall 11 (see Fif'rs.

`7 and 3) form vertical bearings 19 for t e outer ends` of wings 3 3, as shown in Fig. 1, when the coupler-head is in working position. The diametric width ofthe coupler-head from side edge to side edge of the wings 3 3 is diminished inwardly by the inward taper ofthe side edges of the wings, as shown in Fig. 1, and consequently a certain amount of lateral play in a horizontal plane is 'permitted to the coupler-head in the s'paces20 between the wings and the opposed walls of that part of chamber 6 which receives the winged portion IIO of the coupler-head, and when the couplerhead is given a quarter-turn, as stated, the outer ends of wings 3 3 bear on the vertical bearings 19 19, and the coupler-head and draw-bar head are thereby coupled. Said ytwo heads are thus interlocked under presi When opposed ends of cars are coupled by this invention, strains and jolts of the train will not tend to turn the'individual couplerheads in th'e reverse or unlocking direction, because any such movement of either inter-- locking coupler-head will tend to give a reverse movement to the other and keep the wings 3 3 of the latter in place against its shoulders 12 and 13.

' The draw-bar head is made fast to the outer end of any suitable draw-bar 20, as by bolts 21, the inner end being connected with the car-body in any suitable manner, as at the usual pivotal connection 22, which, with the cross-bars 23 23 and intermediate spring 24, constitute one of many old and well-known modes of forming and connecting the inner end of the draw-bar to the car-body B.

My invention may be embodied inmany different forms other than that shown.

1. In a car-coupling device, the combination of a coupler-head having a shank with a draw-bar head having in its outer end a chamber to receive said shank," the shank and chamber being respectively formed with complementary means whereby the couplerhead shank and draw-bar head are interlocked when the coupler-head shank is inserted and turned in the chamber; said interlocking means permitting movement in a horizontal direction of the coupler-head and draw-bar head, one in relation to the other.

2'. The combination with a chambered draw-bar head having Within the chamber horizontal shoulders, extending in the direction of the length of the draw-bar, and vertical bearings at the front end of the chamber of a coupler-head having a shank provided with diametrically opposite wings which engage with said shoulders and bearings; and a spring operatively mounted between the inner end wall of the chamber and the inner ends of said wings; the coupler-head shank being turnable in and thereby withdrawable from the draw-bar head.

3. The combination of a coupler-head having a shank with a draw-bar having a chamber; interlocking devices on said shank; within the chamber, means adapted to interlock with said devices when the shank is inserted; within the chamber, means adapted to coperate with said devices, when the shank is in working position, for holding the coupler-head and draw-bar head in pulling connection the coupler-head and draw-bar head then being movable one in relation' to the other in a horizontal plane; and a spring within the -chamber between the inner end of the chamber and the coupler-head.

. In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses. A

FRANCIS YV. PARSONS. Witnesses:

EDWARD S. BEACH, E. A. ALLEN. 

